Kenya is a magnificent place to see a huge variety of wildlife. The Masai Mara, a vast grassland teeming with animals, has an astonishing amount and mixture of game, including lions, cheetahs and at certain times of the year, the wildebeest migration. Bird enthusiasts will particularly love Lake Nakuru, pink-rimmed with thousands of flamingos, and where there is a healthy population of White and Black rhinos. The highlight of the trip is undoubtedly the gorillas in the foothills of the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda. This close-up encounter is arguably the most sensational wildlife experience of them all.

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start Kigali

Those on the group flight from London will arrive in Kigali in the afternoon. Those not travelling with the group from London will meet us in the hotel. There will be a full briefing this evening.See more images and videos

2Day 2Visit the Genocide Museum; afternoon free.

Rwanda is a country widely remembered for the genocide of 1994 in which over a million people were killed. There is a moving and disturbing museum that commemorates this time in their history. However, Rwanda is trying to look forward as well as back and Exodus clients can help bring money into the area by spending time in the market here and sampling the local restaurants.See more images and videos

3Day 3To Ruhengeri, Rwanda

Leaving Rwanda's small and attractive capital, Kigali, we head to Ruhengeri and Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda the best place to see gorillas.See more images and videos

4Day 4Visit to see the gorillas in Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda.

Owing to the very nature of the terrain and the need to explore in order to find the gorillas, there are no paths to follow in Parc National des Volcans and our guides will occasionally need to cut a way through the undergrowth. At times there are some steep ascents and descents over muddy slopes, so strong footwear is essential. You must expect a minimum of three hours walking to find the gorillas.
Despite the challenging terrain, the jungle scenery makes the walking very interesting, and to be close to the gorillas in their natural habitat is an experience you will never forget. An adult male can weigh up to 195kg, a female up to 100kg, and a male can reach 1.7m in height. The gorillas are almost exclusively vegetarian and are quite destructive eaters, which makes them unpopular with the farmers lower down the mountain slopes, as they have been known to wreck a whole field of crops just to eat one plant. For this reason, and also because of poaching, the gorillas are very carefully protected. We can venture to within a few metres of the gorilla families with reasonable safety as, in spite of their reputation, they are gentle creatures and are not known to attack unless very severely provoked. We do not venture any closer because the gorillas are very susceptible to human disease - please note that anyone with a cold or any similar ailment may not be allowed near the gorillas.See more images and videos

Today we head to Lake Mburo National Park. This is one of the smallest parks in Uganda at only 260 square kms, but boasts an impressive 313 different bird species, and is famous for its rich biodiversity. It has about 68 different species of mammals. The common ones are zebra, impala, buffalo, topi and eland, plus the rare roan antelope. We may also be lucky enough to spot leopard, hyena and jackals. Depending on time we will take a guided walk in the park either this afternoon or the following morning. The campsite tonight will be very basic.See more images and videos

A free day to enjoy several optional activities. The rafting here is amongst the best in the world with several grade five rapids providing an exhilarating experience. Alternatively there is the opportunity for an excellent village walk, a vibrant community project known as Soft Power which supports education, a visit to the source of the White Nile, quad biking or even bungy jumping!See more images and videos

10Day 10To Naiberi River camp near Eldoret, Kenya.

Today there is a long drive of about 250km across the border into Kenya. The border crossing can be slow but we leave plenty of time, and it can be an interesting experience. Once over the border we drive to our campsite in Eldoret. We should arrive in the late afternoon, depending on how long the border crossing takes. The rest of the day is free for relaxing and enjoying the cool swimming pool at this campsite.See more images and videos

11Day 11To Lake Nakuru N.P.; afternoon game drive; camp in park.

In the morning we drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, a small park that is home to an amazing variety of animals. We game drive around the dazzling soda lake, sometimes home to thousands of flamingos. We will see plenty of animals, maybe even the elusive leopard and we have an excellent chance of spotting rhino, of which there is a healthy population here. There is a stunning view from the top of the hills above the lake, and here we may see the Rock hyrax; this tiny creature is the elephant's nearest relative! We camp in the park.See more images and videos

12Day 12Early morning game drive; drive to Lake Navaisha.

This morning we enjoy another game drive in the park. In the afternoon, we drive to Lake Navaisha, where the afternoon is free for optional activities.See more images and videos

13Day 13To Masai Mara; late afternoon game drive.

In the morning we drive into the Masai Mara using 4WD vehicles for two nights in one of the most famous ecosystems in the world. In and around the reserve, plains game including wildebeest, gazelle, topi, zebra and buffalo abound, and never far away are the predators; cheetah, lion and hyena. Nothing is guaranteed on safari but we hope to see the three-foot-tall Secretary bird stalking snakes and rodents through the grass, impala jousting furiously or vultures homing in on carcasses. On both nights we stay in a permanent camp in the Masai Mara.See more images and videos

Leaving the Masai Mara, we drive to Lake Naivasha. In the afternoon we visit Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adamson, now a conservation centre where you can enjoy afternoon teas on the lawn and watch the Colobus monkeys.

Leaving Naivasha , we will slowly climb the escarpement admiring the beautiful scenes below. There are several view-points along the way where we can overlook Lake Naivasha and the famous Mt. Longonot.
For those on the group flights, these will depart in the afternoon and fly overnight to London. For clients who have booked land only, the trip ends in the late afternoon in Nairobi.See more images and videos

Your images

Adult Group

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are moderately fit and possess a spirit of adventure. Some previous experience is required for most activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

15 breakfasts, 15 lunches, 13 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

Gorilla permit (USD750)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Hotels & Camping

You will spend 11 nights full-service camping at a variety of campsites, some quite basic, with 6 nights in permanent tented camps with shared facilities. You will spend 4 nights in standard hotels with en suite facilities.

Campsites in East Africa usually offer only very basic facilities. You should not expect hot showers, flushing toilets and western standards of cleanliness at some of the places we stay. Some toilets may be long drops.

Occasionally upgrades are possible at some of the campsites to a room or banda and these can only be booked and paid for locally.

The single supplement guarantees single accommodation throughout the trip (including single tents) and the price is 220GBP.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa

A combined visa is now available for UK passport holders for travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda: this visa is only available at airports and not if you arrive by land. UK passport holders arriving by land will need separate visas for Kenya and Uganda; no visa is required for Rwanda.
Vaccination against Yellow Fever is necessary for this trip, and you must bring a valid certificate of vaccination.
Recommended vaccinations for this trip are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.
Malaria prophylaxis is essential on this trip, and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.
Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.
Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited on this trip. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten.

Holiday style

We offer a full service camping safari therefore tents will be erected and meals will be prepared for you unless you wish to help! We have our own cook who shops, prepares and cooks all camping meals.

Transport is in a specialist overland vehicle, with good all-round visibility plus 4WD in the Masai Mara.

There will be several early morning starts especially to view the wildlife, and a few long drives. Although the distances are not that great, some of the roads are quite poor and bumpy especially after the rainy season. We include breaks for toilet facilities, shopping, photos and meals. The spectacular scenery and glimpses of village life when travelling make the journeys more enjoyable but come prepared with a sense of adventure and a sense of humour for the holiday of a lifetime.

Eating & drinking

15 breakfasts, 15 lunches and 13 dinners included.

We have our own cook who shops, prepares and cooks all camping meals.

On some occasions it may be more practical to eat in local restaurants, and you should allow a further USD100 to cover these meals. You may also wish to bring some snacks for some of the long journeys and possible delays along the way.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

Although this part of East Africa lies in the tropics, the temperature depends more on altitude than on season. Kenya has temperatures ranging from 18 - 28degC in March and dropping to 15 - 21degC in August. The long rains, during which we do not operate these tours, occur in April and May, and there are intermittent 'short rains' between November and early December, though these normally have no great effect on the safari.

In western Uganda, the rainy season is also in April and May, with intermittent rains during November and December, and daytime temperatures of between 15 - 25degC. Parts of Uganda are very wet and rain can be expected at any time.

Reviews & community

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The highlight has to be the time I'm Rwanda with the gorillas,but the whole wildlife adventure from start to finish was exceptional.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our group leader "Kip" aka Peter was an essential part of the experience,his knowledge and passion for both the wildlife and culture was a real inspiration.Kip is very forward thinking and I am sure he will further enhance any future trips he leads.Personally I would be delighted to travel with him again.
Of course some credit also belongs with his team who worked as one from start to finish.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Do it ! You will not be wanting for anything!
Currency wise US dollars seemed the most desired and acceptable through the three countries.

This trip was fantastic! I can honestly say that there was not one thing that I did not enjoy - yes, there were days that there was a lot of travelling but the Overland truck allowed a good view point, so I still saw some great local sights en route.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The most inspirational part of the trip was the visit to the Little Angels Orphanage in Uganda, I have found myself watching the videos nearly everyday since I have come back - truly beautiful children. The wildlife, particularly the frequency we saw the "big 5" was just amazing and being able to get so close was just outstanding. Its hard not to love Africa. The Gorilla trek on Christmas day was out of this world...I loved every second!

What did you think of your group leader?

Often was simply awesome! His knowledge and professionalism was outstanding. We had a very small group with one difficult person who Often managed impeccably despite little thanks. Often went above and beyond and definitely made the trip as good as it was - I had been talking about a particular Gorilla group through the trip and as a surprise he made a surprise request for me to see this group - he really made my Christmas day! The other staff, Elias, the cook was fantastic - catering for the difficult with ease and Jackson and Wiki were just great!

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Do it!!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

It was a nice trip, but I was expecting something different. I was looking for an authentic encounter with nature, and this trip felt very touristic. The Masai Mara was fantastic, but unfortunately there were tons of tour companies around. The jeeps are communicated by radio and as soon as a jeep encounters an interesting animal, the driver alerts the others and in a matter of minutes tens of jeeps with tourists arrive at the same spot. It is indeed a fantastic place, but there are a lot of tourists around. We were lucky enough to see a lot of animals in August, and apparently it's not such a great sightseeing experience during non-migration season.
If you are offered to visit the Masai village, be aware they practice FGM and if you feel uncomfortable with this practice, you might want to consider whether to pay the entrance to support them or not. The brief visit to the village ends in an improvised gift shop inside the village, where you are pushed to buy incredibly overpriced souvenirs. It really felt forced and kinda defeated the authentic experience of their culture I expected to have.
In terms of accommodation, I thought it had the right balance of camping and permanent camps / hotels.The first camp where we stayed was not good: the first night there was a bunch of British teenagers partying until 3 or 4 am. The second night I talked to the camp manager and they did stop the music at 11pm, which was good. The rest of the camps were very nice, even the more basic ones.
The thing that perhaps disappointed me the most was to get to places after long drives and not have any activity included in the trip to do. Of course you have what's called "optional activities" which you can pay to join, but (a) they were seriously overpriced (b) I didn't consider the activities "optional" because I hadn't fly all the way from London to stay at the camp. It'd have been nice to have an alternative activity included, even a walk in nature would have been exciting.
It has to be said that our cook Dun was amazing, with very abundant and tasty food with and it was never a problem to serve different dietary requirements (coeliac, vegetarian, etc). Our driver Ben was super skilled and kept us safe through challenging roads. The entire crew made us feel always very well and at home.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Some of my favorite activities were the visit to Elsamere camp and the boat ride to get there. We saw a lot of animals while on the boat and the camp was very quiet and with all sort of lovely monkeys jumping around. And of course the gorilla visit was a real highlight.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our group leader Kip was a very nice guy, very knowledgeable and professional. He was always checking on us making sure we were well and had what we needed.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Don't worry too much about bringing too many supplies as you do stop at supermarkets at least three times during the trip.
Consider if you want to do the reverse trip, i.e. seeing the gorillas first. The gorillas are a true highlight but you can't do it if you are sick or injured. So if you are a risk taker or you get ill easily, perhaps it's a good idea to get to the gorillas first when you are well and rested.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

What kind of clothing is best?

Lightweight clothing for the day time, as the sun can be quite strong. Bring warmer layers for the cooler evenings and early mornings, when temperatures can drop surprisingly due to the altitude a lot of Kenya sits at.

Tom Bowring - Customer Operations

What vaccinations do I need?

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information. There will be limited information in the trip notes but you should always seek further qualified medical advice.

Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

What's the best way to take money to Kenya?

Just taking Sterling cash will be fine, and there is no need to change in US dollars. The local currency is the Kenyan Schilling, and you will be changing your money into this and spending with schillings only. Some services will accept dollars as payment, but it is not legal tender. It is best to change money at the airport in Nairobi and ATM machines are availabile there as well. Credit Cards are accepted at most points on the trips if you get stuck as well!

Tom Bowring - Africa Operations

Is it easy to get a Kenyan visa on arrival?

Yes, for British passport holders it is quite straightforward. The cost is $50. Other nationalities should check with the nearest embassy.

Tom Bowring - Customer Operations

Exodus staff - expertise on hand to help

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

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